Immortal Night
by TDWidow
Summary: Living with the Elves brings Raélowen a wonderous world never meant for humans, but her isolation weighs continually on her mind. Then comes one night and everything is forever changed. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ This is more or less the prologue of my story. There is one quote from The Fellowship of the Ring, which I cited as Tolkien's own work, not mine.

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~DISCLAIMER~ The only characters I own are Raélowen, Calíme, and Emeriel along with one or two others to be introduced later. Everyone and everything else belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien.

I am called Raélowen. It is not my birth name, of course, for only Elves can bear an Elvish name at birth. I am human.

I live with the Elves of the forest of Lothlórien. We live under the rule of an elven Lord and Lady: Celeborn and Galadriel. They are said to be almost as old as Middle Earth itself. The Elves have raised me my whole life, regarding me with much curiosity, for many of them had never been near a human before, much less lived with one.

Our city, called only Lórien, sits in the high mallorn-trees of Lothlórien. Platforms (called talans by the Elves but flets by most others) nestled in the strong branches are what support our buildings, holding Lórien high above the ground. We travel from dwelling to dwelling and to the ground via elegant spiraling staircases that wind around the towering mallorn-trees. Some stairways even lead up to talans near the tops of the trees that look down over fair Lórien.

The flowers and leaves of the mallorn-trees are deeply golden in color and blanket Lórien with their sunlit hue through the year. Mallorn-trees are naturally of silver bark and thus create a forest of silver and gold, making Lothlórien like no other forest known in all of Middle Earth.

Here in Lórien, we speak Westron, or Common Speech most of the time. There are two other languages spoken in the city as well, but not nearly as often: Sindarin and Quenya, both forms of Elvish. Sindarin is used mostly for conversation and is generally easier to speak than Quenya. On the other hand, Quenya was the original ancient form of Elvish. Now it is primarily a ceremonial language, used for important occasions or in poetry and song. However, Elves are known to slip into Quenya at moments of high emotion or sorrow. Personally, I study Quenya and choose to speak it rather than Sindarin. Most Elves have a racial knowledge of Quenya, more so than Sindarin, making it easy for me to learn from those I live with.

The name "Raélowen" was given to me when I was very young. In one of the many border skirmishes, Lórien's western border guards, led by an elf called Haldir, defeated a goblin hoard descending from the Misty Mountains. The goblins had developed a taste for young humans and had taken me from my village before burning it. I was only an infant and the guards brought me here to Lórien after the goblins had all been killed. That was almost 20 years ago and I have lived with the Elves ever since.

I believe I am the only one who keeps track of time here. Elves are ageless and immortal, and care little for how long they have been alive. A very brave and valiant elf once said (of Elves and time), "For the Elves the world moves, and it moves both very swift and very slow. Swift, because they themselves change little, and all else fleets by: it is a grief to them. Slow, because they do not count the running years, not for themselves. The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long long stream. * " I can see this evident even in me: I have grown and changed much in the 20 years I have been here in Lórien. But the Elves all look the same as they always have. You can see differences between "younger" Elves, for their eyes look younger. Other than that, they all look the same age, forever.

As for my own appearance, I, well, look human. That, of course, makes sense, but it can be hard when trying to fir it with Elves. My ears are rounded, but usually I am able to hide them with my hair. Elves all wear their hair long and occasionally braided. I wear mine the same, except mine is brown and every elf that I've ever seen has blonde hair. My eyes are not elven blue, but brown. Having such drastic and noticeable differences certainly does not help me to "blend."

Lady Galadriel is supposedly one of the most powerful Elves in all of Middle Earth. She bears Nenya, one of the three "lost" Elven Rings of Power. However, they are lost only to those who would use them for evil and are kept in great secret. Nenya enables the Lady to foresee things and gives her a greater awareness of the world outside of Lórien.

She has also been very protective of me my whole life. This may be due to her knowledge of the evils outside Lórien and the entire forest of Lothlórien, but I believe that she knows more about my future than I can tell.

Two female Elves, Emeriel and Calíme, are my close (and really only) friends. It is nearly impossible to tell how old they are, but I think they are "young" Elves. They stick up for me and take my human limitations in stride. And for that, I am forever grateful.

Living with the Elves has heightened my senses, out of necessity for elven life. My eyes and ears, while not nearly as sharp as an elf's, are much better (I have been told) than an average human's.

However, one elven trait that I cannot acquire is their connection to everything around them, the Heavens especially. The star called Earendil's Star or simply Earendil is most revered by all Elves, for in legend, Earendil was a great elven hero. He wed a human woman, and their sons became great leaders of both Elves and Men. That is one reason I love his legend so much. I can relate to the mixing of human and Elvish culture. When Earendil was gone, he retired to the sky, his silmaril or elf-stone shining down as a star upon Middle Earth. I love the legend and the star, even though I do not feel connected to it as do true Elves. Regardless of my spiritual estrangement from the land and Heavens, the Elves have taught me to love natural beauty and simplicity.

Yes, living in an Elvish land has shaped my life and changed me forever.

In more ways than one.

* Page 404-405 of The Fellowship of the Ring


	2. A Sunny Morning

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ This fic is based on the film version of _the Fellowship of the Ring_ and also assumes that the Fellowship only spends one night in Lórien. I know in the book they spend a longer time there, but it is unclear in the movie as to how long they are there.

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~DISCLAIMER~ I still own Rae, Calíme, and Emeriel. Tolkien still owns everyone else.

Dawn had already begun to light the eastern horizon when I awoke. Yawning, I sat up, brushed my long hair from my eyes, and gazed at the sunrise visible through the open doorway to my balcony.

The wooden talan on which my house rested was cool as I stepped out of bed and blinked as I attempted to wake myself up. Sunlight gradually filled my room as the morning grew. Gathering the things I would need for the day, I put a robe over my nightdress and left my house.

All of Lórien was stirring as the sunlight filtered through the mallorn branches. Though it was winter and no golden leaves remained on the branches, the light glinted off those leaves resting on the forest floor.

"Rae!"

I heard the call and turned to see Calíme heading down the stairway behind me. Her dwelling was built in the same mallorn-tree as mine, only higher. "Morning, Cali!" I waited as she caught up to me.

"Morning! What are you doing later?" she asked me.

I just shrugged. "I'm not sure. Emeriel said something about going walking or something. Why?"

"Eh, no reason. I've just finished writing that song I was working on and am a touch bored."

"Ah, I see," I replied. Calíme hoped to one day become something of a minstrel for Lórien. Most elven cities or houses had one, but we in Lórien did not. Cali had been writing songs for as long as I had known her and was showing a lot of talent for it.

"Find me later and you can hear the song!" Calíme said.

"Who is this one about?" Most Elvish songs retold legends.

"Tis about Celebrían, daughter of Galadriel, and her departure from Lórien."

I only nodded. Celebrían was but a legend to me, as she had left Middle earth long before I was born. "I'd like to hear it, but later. Now I am on my way to bathe and dress."

Calíme nodded. "Go wash. I'll see you later, Rae!"

"Bye Cali!" I called after her as she continued lightly down the stars. She smiled and waved good-bye.

The bathing house was not far away. It was a simple building on the ground a ways from the city. I walked in and was met with a wall of steam. Somehow, the Elves managed to keep the water and building heated. There were ten walled off pools of warm water for bathing and, it being early, only four were being used, so I slipped into the fifth.

After bathing and washing my hair, I used a large, soft piece of cloth to dry off and shook the excess water out of my hair. The gown I had chosen for the day was made of a pale blue material that was as light as it was comfortable. It was one of my favorite gowns, for it was comfortable and not restricting and it complimented my dark complexion.

I left the warm building to bring my things back to my room and to allow my hair to dry in the morning air. The sun was out and the sky was clear. It looked to be a beautiful day in Lórien. I walked slowly back through the trees towards my home, enjoying the morning.

Several Elves greeted me, as is customary in elven culture. Though I am not necessarily close to any save Calíme and Emeriel, I do know most of the Elves living in Lórien by name.

Sometimes living with so many but being close to so few can be depressing. Not even Calíme and Emeriel understand the loneliness that comes from being the only one of my kind. But on mornings like this, I couldn't feel anything but joy.

"Rae!"

Again I turned at the call of my name—second of the morning. Although it was Emeriel this time calling me. I waved as she ran up to where I was standing.

"Good morning, Rae!" she said as she reached my side.

"G' morning Em. How are you this morning?"

"I'm wonderful! How could anyone be anything else on a morning such as this?"

"'Twould be hard," I admitted with a smile. "Where are you headed?"

"To eat! 'Tis time for our breakfast feast, Rae!"

I had completely forgotten. The Elves of Lórien had a breakfast feast (that usually ran well into lunch) to celebrate things such as births or betrothals. Today, we were to celebrate the betrothal of a maiden of Lórien to a warrior elf from Mirkwood.

"Let me bring my things back to my house, then I'll go with you."

"I'll come with you," Emeriel offered. I nodded, and we headed for the stairs to quickly drop off my things and pray we weren't late for the feast!


	3. The Feast

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~DISCLAIMER~ Besides Rae, Calíme, and Emeriel, I also own Osellë and Poldon, but this is the one and only time they show up. Tolkien's claim on everyone else still holds.

Emeriel and I were relieved to see that we had not missed much of the celebratory feast. It looked like we had only missed the beginning of the actual meal. We quietly slipped to the nearest table. I realized that I had perhaps not gotten up earlier than the other inhabitants of Lórien. I had simply forgotten about the feast.

Indeed, we were just in time. Lord Celeborn soon stood before us, the Lady at his side and two elves standing happily behind the two. "Elves of Lórien," he addressed us. "We gather to celebrate the betrothal of our maiden, Osellë Lótiel to Poldon Ambartur, valiant warrior of our distant northern neighbor Mirkwood. We hope their union brings them great joy."

The Elves all cheered for the couple, who looked quite happy together. As is customary, Poldon had come from Mirkwood to celebrate and to take his bride back to his homeland with him. I joined in with the cheering, secretly hating these celebrations. I knew that I would never have such a ceremony. Or, not an elven one anyway. Part of me wished to one day be married to an elf, but part of me also believed that it would never happen.

"We delight in building stronger relations with the Elves of Mirkwood," the Lady was saying. I let my mind wander after that, hearing only snatches of the things being said: Osellë would leave Lórien, the King of Mirkwood would attend the wedding, however his son, Prince something-or-other, would not due to his participation in an epic quest that I was sure Calíme would write a song about later. I figured I could learn everything I needed to know about it from her.

As with most of its kind, the feast lasted well into lunch and beyond. Calíme was busy speaking with the Lord and Lady, presumable hoping to gather information for a new song. The bride-to-be, Osellë, was a friend of Emeriel's, so I spoke with the two of theme for awhile. The morning passed by rather quickly, full of feasting and socializing.

Gradually, the Elves left the feast to continue their daily activities. I looked for Calíme, for Emeriel was still wishing Osellë good luck and other things of that nature, but Cali had already left.

"Ready to leave, Rae?" Emeriel asked a few moments later.

"All set!"

The two of us left the feast, looking for something to do for the rest of the day.

"So what should we do?" she asked me.

"I don't know…want to go look for that necklace I lost yesterday?" I suggested.

"Oh, the one with the green stone?" I nodded. "Sure. Let's go. Where'd you lose it?"

"Out on the western path I think."

"Okay. It must be there somewhere." Emeriel started away from the feast again and I followed, hoping to find my lost necklace.


	4. Shamiel

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~DISCLAIMER~ Aside from Rae, Calime, Emeriel, and the two small characters from "The Feast," I also own Shamiel. And she _will_ appear later. But Tolkien still owns everyone else. And currently "everyone else" is Galadriel, Celeborn, and one mention of Elrond and of the Mirkwood Elves. But more will appear.

Emeriel and I were walking west through Lórien.

"The sun's light glitters on the water,

Reflecting through clear air

Lighting the land and sea," she sang.

"But starlight glinting in the deep night

Is the light that I love—

The light from the dark," I finished my own verse. We knew it was a stupid song and it barely could be considered as having a musical rhythm, but we didn't care. So we just grinned, enjoying the sun and off-handedly looking for my necklace.

Around us, we could hear other Elves adding more verses to our song. Elves can hardly hear a song without singing along. It is one of the many parts of elven culture that puts it above others. And despite my human lineage, I am known throughout Lórien as having one of the best voices.

"Look! Here comes Calíme!" Emeriel said waving. I waved with her.

"Oh look," I said and stopped waving. "Shamiel's with her."

Shamiel is another she-elf who is Calíme's friend. She has never particularly liked me but I don't know exactly why. Every opportunity she gets, she reminds me of my human qualities that don't quite measure up to elven qualities. Usually cruelly. As long as she is around, she sees to it that I never feel completely accepted by the Elves.

I sighed and followed Emeriel over to where they were standing.

"Cali! Shamiel, hi," Emeriel said.

"Hey Em! Hi Rae!" Calíme smiled.

"Hi Emeriel. Hello," Shamiel said, pointedly leaving out my name. Calíme explained to me once that Shamiel _never_ refers to me by "Raélowen." She usually calls me "human" when I'm not around. Apparently no other creature (and humans especially) should have the honor of bearing an elven name.

"Shamiel and I were just going down to the river," Calíme said, trying to keep peace. "Just for a walk. You two can come if you want."

"Uh…" I wanted to, for I love the river and I hadn't been able to spend much time with Calíme as of late. Shamiel had recently made it her goal to see that Calíme stopped "wasting her time" with me.

"But Calíme," Shamiel broke in. "I need to talk to you. Alone!"

Calíme sighed and gave me a sad look. "Sorry," she mouthed to me. I just smiled sadly.

"Oh Calíme, will you run and get me a leather thong? I may want to tie my hair back and I don't have one," Shamiel asked. Calíme just nodded and ran lightly up the stairs.

"Such a shame," Shamiel said to me with a sweet smile, "that you have such dark hair. It's such an obvious human trait."

I kept a straight face but could not speak I was so angry.

"Shamiel," Emeriel said slowly. "I have heard stories of dark-haired Elves. Is not the Lord Elrond of Rivendell dark-haired?"

Shamiel was quiet for a moment. "I believe you are mistaken. You have long been here in Lórien, Emeriel. Maybe your memory is fading."

I had to grab Emeriel's wrist to keep her from slapping Shamiel's smug grin from her face. Calíme got back then and she and Shamiel left us.

"I'm sorry, Rae. Really I am," Emeriel said, seeing how upset I was.

I forced a smile. "Don't worry about it. She doesn't bother me." But Em knew I was lying.

"Come on," she gestured to me. "Let's go visit the border guards." I nodded and followed her, but all urge to sing as we went along was gone.


	5. Mirrored Memories

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~DISCLAIMER~ Ok. Here's the list. Regular characters I own: Rae, Emeriel, Calíme, Shamiel, and now Colindor. As it will always be, J.R.R. Tolkien owns everyone else.

Walking through Lórien in the sun began to cheer me up again. Emeriel and I chatted idly as we wandered through the city towards the outer paths.

I knew why Emeriel wanted to visit the guards. One of the Elves assigned to guard the western edge of the city was Colindor, who Emeriel had "relations" with. She "entreated" me to some of the details of their relationship and seeing the two actually together tended to be annoying. It also reminded me of her happiness with him—a happiness I had not yet found.

"So how are you and Colindor?" I asked Emeriel as we walked.

"We're great! He's everything I could want."

"That's good."

Emeriel stopped for a minute. "Do you mind going to visit the guards?" she asked me in all seriousness.

"No, I don't," I said, silently adding, 'what I mind is seeing how happy you are with Colindor!' But I didn't say it. I knew that Em didn't do it on purpose. So I just said, "I like visiting Haldir and the other western guards. After all, they _are_ the ones who rescued me so long ago and brought me here."

"I know. Come on!" Emeriel said smiling. "Let's go!" She took off in a light jog. I quickly tied my hair back and ran after her.

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Did I mention that Elves are a lot faster than humans? They are. I was painfully aware of it as I jogged, trying to keep up with Emeriel. She turned to wait for me and I was glad to see that she didn't look annoyed.

As I ran through the village, my eye was drawn to a small dip in the land. It was a hollow in a root of one of the giant mallorn-trees. Nestled in that hollow were a small waterfall and a great stone pedestal that held a normal looking water basin. The Mirror of Galadriel. I stopped for a moment, overcome by memories.

It was five years ago. I had been with Elves for fifteen years at the time and had come to know the village and its inhabitants well. Our local "legend" and source of endless stories was the Mirror of Lady Galadriel. Because the Lady bore Nenya (one of the Elven Rings of power), she was able to use her mirror as a window through space or time or both. Those who are in need of guidance on their path could look into the Mirror (if the Lady permitted) and see their destiny in the water.

I was shocked (to say the least) as my adoptive mother brought me down to the Mirror in the middle of one night.

"Come my child," Lady Galadriel had said. "It is your time."

I was scared as I stepped up to the stone basin. And at first, I saw nothing.

Slowly, the water started to ripple. An image began to appear, fuzzy and wavery at first.

I stood transfixed as it was finally clear and a handsome man gazed back at me. I could barely breathe.

"Who is he?" I whispered.

"He is your destiny."

"He is perfect, my Lady." He truly was. I could not bear to take my eyes away. It did not seem possible that he could be my destiny, yet I knew that the Lady did not lie.

Gradually, the man began to turn away. It was then that my heart caught. "No…Lady, he is an elf!" I choked. His pointed ears made it perfectly clear. I felt foolish not to have noticed it sooner. He was an elf and I was human and there could never be anything between us. I knew that while humans were intriguing, no elf would ever love one. It could hardly be fair to have shown me such a perfect man that I could never have. "He is an elf," I repeated, abandoning all hope.

"So it appears child." I looked at Galadriel, confused. The image disappeared. She smiled kindly. "Do not be disheartened. He is your destiny. And everything will fall into place."

I sighed sadly. "My Lady, I still do not understand."

"I know little one. But you will."

Those were her last words to me that night. It seems so long ago, and I have not looked in the Mirror since.

But the image of that elven man has never left my mind. To this very day, I can see his face as clearly as I first did in the water.

"Raélowen!"

I blinked and the memories dissipated. Emeriel had her hands on her hips, waiting for me with an "I'm-getting-bored" look on her face. I just smiled at my memories and ran up to where she was waiting.


	6. Strangers in the Forest

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ This is the first chapter in which I use spoken Elvish. Most of my Elvish is in Quenya (which is considered "high" Elvish) and I will put all translations at the bottom of the page. 10 reviews, too. That's cool—I like reviews.

ASTROEAL ~ Most of the second part of that chapter is a flashback Raélowen has. She sees the Mirror and is recalling the one time she looked into it. But she's lived in Lórien for about 20 years and Emeriel has lived there for however long she's been alive, which (like most Elves) is undetermined. The Mirror story took place five years before the current story.

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~DISCLAIMER~ I've now introduced all of my original recurring characters: Raélowen, Emeriel, Calíme, Shamiel, and Colindor. Everyone else belongs to Tolkien. They always will.

It was a long walk to the western border. Vaguely through the dense trees, I could just see the outline of the Misty Mountain range, so I knew we were almost to the talan where Haldir and his guards were stationed. The talan was hidden up in the trees, but Em and I visited so often that we knew exactly which tree it was in.

Emeriel tapped gently on the trunk of the tree we knew they were stationed in. "Colindor!" she called softly. 

Colindor leapt lightly to the ground behind us. "My lady Emeriel," he said with a grin and a deep bow. She just giggled and took his hands. That was the extent of their physical contact in public, due to Elvish custom, for which I was glad.

They started talking together and I just leaned again the tree. Watching them laughing together was boring enough, but Haldir and the other guards were no where to be seen. Usually when Emeriel called Colindor down, Haldir and all the others followed. I would talk to them while Emeriel and Colindor were together, but they didn't seem to be there.

"Uh, Colindor?" I said. They both turned to look at me. "Sorry to interrupt, but where are Haldir and the other guards?"

"Lord Celeborn sent them to the edge of the forest. They left me here to cover the watch, but the messenger didn't say why they were going."

"Oh. Thanks!" I replied, going back to boredom. I don't even know why I hung around at all, but there was nothing to do so I just waited – either for Haldir and the others to return or for Emeriel so we could go back to Lórien.

Suddenly Emeriel and Colindor stood silent, listening intently. "Someone approaches!" Colindor whispered. "Hurry! Up to the talan!"

I climbed quickly up into the tree, with Emeriel following and Colindor last. Usually I am always the first one hidden or protected, as the guards still feel responsible for me. After all, there were my original rescuers. I don't mind most of the time, like being first to hide in the trees, but occasionally I feel like reminding them that, in human terms, I _am_ an adult.

"Who is it?" Emeriel asked. She and I were sitting towards the back of the talan while Colindor watched through the leaves.

"I cannot tell," was his reply. "There are a lot of them, though. A group of almost ten, it looks like. Haldir and the others are leading them into Lórien!" Colindor sounded surprised.

I felt strange. Whoever those people were down below the talan, they had sparked an incredibly strong feeling of curiosity in me. It was so powerful that I put a hand to my forehead in confusion. Emeriel shot me a questioning glance, but I waved her off. That feeling was telling me to jump from the talan and run after the group. It was so intense that the only reason I stayed where I was was the fact that Colindor blocked the only safe way to the ground.

There was nothing to do but wait. Emeriel and I could see nothing from where we were and I knew Colindor would not let me off of the talan until the strangers were gone and any potential danger had passed. And nothing I could say would convince him that there truly was no such danger.

I do not know how long we waited. Colindor sat, listening intently and shushing Emeriel and I if we tried to talk. Finally, he turned to us.

"The hour grows late and I believe the strangers are beyond you. You should go back to Lórien." We three climbed down from the talan. "I regret that I cannot escort you back, but I must keep guard," Colindor said apologetically.

"It is ok. Rae and I will be fine," Emeriel reassured him.

He just looked worriedly at us. "Stay together. Go straight back to Lórien and do not stray." Emeriel nodded in agreement. Colindor gently put a hand to her cheek. "Be careful, vanessenya."

He let us go after that and we obeyed his wish, heading straight back to Lórien. We didn't speak much, for I was still suffering that same strange feeling. By now, the search for my lost necklace had flown from my mind. There were much more pressing questions on my mind. I assumed Emeriel to be lost in her own thoughts as well and we walked in silence.

The forest was quiet at dusk and we headed for home. Home, which for me, held the strange group and the key to an unknown secret I was dying to discover.

* vanessenya = my beauty (Quenya)


	7. Eyes in the Trees

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ There are two lines in this chapter that I did not write myself: "Eight there are here, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him." and "He has fallen into shadow." These are direct quotes from the movie; thus proving that is fic is on the movieverse. They were written by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh and I am simply borrowing them. But everything else is mine.

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~DISCLAIMER~ Nope, still don't own anyone except Rae, Emeriel, Calíme, Shamiel, and Colindor. I don't think I ever will.

When we arrived back in Lórien, I headed towards a different mallorn-tree than that in which I lived. I knew the group had most likely been taken to the Lord and Lady's Royal Chamber and I had to see them.

"Rae? Um, where are you going?"

"Royal Chamber."

"What?!"

The urge to run overcame me and I sprinted up the stairs in the tree next to that which held the chamber. Emeriel ran close behind me, attempting to stop me.

"Rae? Rae! Raélowen, come back here!" she called after me, giving up the chase. "You're not allowed there!"

I ignored her. I finally reached a height near enough to the royal chamber where I wouldn't be seen but would still be close. I was high enough already that smaller climbing branches were plentiful. I gazed up in the tree and, spotting what looked to be a good perch, started climbing.

They were brought in just as I reached my good lookout branch. There were eight that I could count, three of human height and five much shorter. Hobbits, I think four of them were called, for I remembered an old legend of a hobbit traveling with dwarfs through the elven land of Mirkwood. The last short one was certainly a dwarf.

The humans intrigued me, naturally. I hardly ever got a chance to _hear_ about humans, much less see them. But they were my own kind and I was curious.

Only three were of human or elven height. Two of them were visible, both dark haired men carrying swords. Their hair was shorter than an elf's hair, and darker. I picked up a strand of my own hair, holding it so I could see it. It was the same dark shade as theirs. So Shamiel was right: dark hair _is_ a human trait.

But other than hair color and obviously rounded ears, the humans didn't look al that different from Elves. This thought seemed comforting and I smiled in spite of myself.

I wasn't sure why I still felt so strongly about the strangers, for I felt that it had nothing to do with the humans. I had to strain my ears to hear, being without the heightened elven senses, but I heard Lord Celeborn address them.

"Eight there are here," he began. "Yet nine there were set out from Rivendell."

Rivendell. The name struck a note of familiarity with me. I remembered hearing the story of Lady Galadriel's daughter Celebrían leaving Lórien to marry Elrond of Rivendell. It must be another elven village. I made a note to ask Calíme about it.

"Tell me," he continued, "where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him."

Even with my limited human perception, I could sense a wave of sorrow go through the group. Lady Galadriel felt it too, for she said sadly, "He has fallen into shadow."

The group seemed downcast and nervous. I had no idea what they should be doing traveling through Lórien and I certainly did not understand why humans would be traveling with hobbits or dwarfs.

"Be glad for the blending of races, child." I heard Lady Galadriel's voice in my head. It startled me, though I should have known she'd know I was there. Her voice continued, "You may benefit from their being here."

This last remark confused me and I remained at my perch until the meeting was over, trying to figure out what she meant. I eventually became bored, staying only because of that same strong feeling of connection I had to the group.

The meeting finally seemed to be over. I started looking for a way down (for climbing up was my strong point) when I felt a gaze on me. I looked back to the chamber.

My eyes locked with the gaze of a handsome elven man who I had not been able to see before. I couldn't breathe as my heart sped up and I almost fell out of the tree.

He was the elf shown to me in the Mirror.


	8. Identity

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~DISCLAIMER~ Nope, _still_ don't own any of Tolkien's characters…

I wandered back in a daze to where Emeriel and Calíme were excitedly chattering.

"Rae! Rae, come here!" Emeriel grabbed my arm and dragged me over to Calíme.

"What? Em, what's so important?" I was a little annoyed, for I wanted to be alone and contemplate _his_ arrival, then maybe talk to Lady Galadriel about _his_ arrival.

"You saw them, didn't you? The strangers? You saw them in the royal chamber?"

"Yes…why?"

"Did you see him? Did you see the Prince?" Calíme asked excitedly. It got my attention.

"Prince? Which one is a Prince?"

They both sighed, remembering that I was young and (more importantly) human. Emeriel explained it to me. "Remember this morning, Lady Galadriel spoke of the Prince of Mirkwood?" I nodded, remembering little more than a Prince something-or-other who could not attend the wedding. Emeriel continued, "Well, he's here!"

My heart skipped a beat. "You mean, the Prince in that group…is an elven Prince?" Calíme and Emeriel nodded excitedly.

I couldn't believe it. I knew there was only one elf in that group. And there was no question in my mind that he was my elf from the Mirror. I must have had a strange expression, for Calíme glanced sideways at me. "Are you ok?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just…awestruck a little," I lied. "You know, a Prince coming here."

"I know!" Cali must have accepted my excuse. "Isn't this exciting?"

"Plus," Emeriel added, "a dwarf is traveling here! And humans and halflings, too!"

"Halflings?" I asked.

"Yeah, those short things with them."

"You mean hobbits? Isn't that what they're really called?"

Emeriel thought for a minute. "Yeah, I think you're right, Rae." She shrugged. "Do the humans intrigue you?" she asked me.

"Of course, a little." I was desperately trying to figure out how to turn the conversation back to my elf Prince without being _too_ obvious. Now I really wished I had paid more attention at the feast when Galadriel had spoken of him. I had to know more about him.

Emeriel and Calíme were talking more about the group. "Um, I have a question," I said.

"Well, we'll try to answer it!" Emeriel answered with a smile.

"What is the elven Prince's name?" I asked innocently. I was playing the role of the naïve human – a role I had invented in order to pump people for information without them knowing it.

"He is Prince Legolas. He is the son of Mirkwood's King Thranduil," Calíme answered.

Their conversation continued, but I heard no more. Legolas. I finally had a name to attach to the image burned into my mind. A name to my destiny.

But I was jolted out of my thoughts by the one thing I didn't want to hear. "Shamiel was so excited when she realized Legolas was here. You know her thing with Elves in high places," Calíme said.

My blood felt cold inside me. "Shamiel's interested in him?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Emeriel laughed. "She's interested in every male elf to come near her, you know that! But an elf _Prince_? She's doubly interested."

I just nodded. "Of course," I said with a weak smile.


	9. Shamiel's Threat

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ I'm very sorry that it took me _so_ long to update this! I've been busy with end of the year school stuff and graduation stuff, along with two shows I've been in. I also apologize for this chapter being so short. The next chapter will be longer, I promise!

To the reviewer called "Me" – I appreciate your helpful advice! I am what most people call a "rookie Tolkien geek," so most of the legends and such are not very clear to me. I'm sorry about the inaccuracies, thanks for the tips!

****

~DISCLAIMER~ Have not, do not, will not ever own Tolkien's characters. Still own Rae, Calíme, Emeriel, Shamiel, and Colindor though.

Calíme and Emeriel had left, each their separate ways. Calíme probably to write a song of Lórien's visitors and Emeriel most likely back to tell Colindor of what happened. So I walked alone.

'A Prince,' I thought to myself. 'He is a Prince.'

It seemed impossible. It _was_ impossible. An Elven Prince could not be my destiny. Me – a human girl living with Elves _only_ because I was lucky enough not to be eaten before the goblins were killed. How could it be possible?

And yet, how could it be _im_possible? The Mirror did not lie, neither did the Lady. Ever.

I was so confused. But more than anything I wanted to be alone. My favorite place to think was to sit in one of the high branches above Lórien, so I started for the stairs. Ahead of me, I saw Shamiel walking with another elf, talking excitedly.

I was curious and so, I am ashamed to say, I hid to listen to their conversation.

"…here only for one night!" Shamiel was saying.

The other elf only laughed. "So then you must act quickly?" she asked Shamiel with a playful shove.

"Oh absolutely! I must find him soon. No elven man has ever resisted me before…why should a Prince be any different?"

I clenched the earth within my palm, unable to stand my anger. Prince! My Legolas she was talking about! My vision almost went red, I was so upset. 'If she is as irresistible to Elves as she claims to be,' I thought miserably, 'there really is no reason for Legolas to be any different. Of course…that also makes her a bit of a whore.'

"Just think," the other she-elf was saying. "You could be the Princess the Wood Elves. And some day…queen!"

Shamiel's eyes sparkled with greed. "Yes…but I must go now! The more quickly I seduce him, the better!"

The two ran off giggling and I emerged from my hiding place. Tears blurred my vision as I continued up the stairs towards solitude high in the trees.


	10. An Elvish Lament

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ Again, sorry it took me so long to update! With the beginning of summer combined with the problems ff.net's been having (get well soon ff.net!!), it's been really hard to get stuff posted. But I'm back!

Again, I know that some of my information about Earendil and the legendry is a little off, I apologize!

****

~DISCLAIMER~ _Still_ don't own Tolkien's characters! I never will. But I still own my characters and I _always_ will! J 

I sat in the crook of a branch, thinking about nothing but Legolas and my own misery. I could not erase his image from my mind. I looked up to the sky, just visible through the canopy of trees.

Earendil shone brightest in the Heavens, making all other stars seem dull. Earendil is the star most beloved of all elven people. From Earendil, Elves draw strength and will when their own has failed. I love Earendil, but cannot feel the elven connection to it. When I was a child this used to bother me, but over time I have gotten used to my human isolation.

There have been many times in my life that I wished to be a true elf and to feel the world around me as an elf does. But never so much as I did now.

A thousand emotions raced through my mind: excitement and nervousness at Legolas's arrival, fear of losing him to Shamiel, shame over my human appearance, a vague uncertainty that my life was changing, but most of all, an overwhelming attraction to Legolas.

He was the man I had been waiting for. My love. My destiny. My feeling for him came from somewhere deep inside me that I had never felt before.

"My child."

I jumped at the voice and turned to see Galadriel standing on the walkway near the branch I was in. I climbed down as quickly as I could without tearing my dress. "My Lady."

"Sing child," she said, extending a hand towards a talan in a branch high above Lórien. 

I was confused. "Sing?"

"Sing for the fallen." And without another word, Galadriel left me.

I knew what she was asking. I was to sing a lament for Gandalf, so that all of Lórien could mourn the great wizard. I quickly climbed to the terrace platform she had pointed to.

Lifting my head to the sky, I began to sing. The melody was an ancient traditional lament. It didn't have any prescribed lyrics, only those that I made up, lamenting Mithrandir (as the Elves called the great wizard). I heard other Elves joining their voices around me in support of mine.

The lament rang through the trees, filling the air with sorrow. I poured my heart into the lament, for it mirrored my own conflicted feelings.

The first verse was in Quenya, as is traditional of many Elvish laments, but as I finished that I switched to the more common dialect of Sindarin. The thought that Mirkwood Elves (such as Legolas) were often called Sindarin Elves briefly crossed my mind.

"Mithrandir," I sang. "Mithrandir,

A Randir Vithren.

ú-reniathach i amar galen

I reniad lín ne mór, nuithannen

I lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen

Caled veleg, ethuiannen!"

In Westron, or the common tongue, it means:

"Mithrandir, Mithrandir, O Pilgrim Grey

No more will you wander toe green fields of this earth

Your journey had ended in darkness

The bonds cut, the spirit broken

The Flame of Anor has left this world

A great light, has gone out."

I came to the end and my eyes filled with tears. I brushed them away and lifted my eyes to Earendil, shining brightly overheard.

"I am so lost," I whispered. "I do not know what I should do."

"My child." Again I heard the Lady's voice inside my head. "Your destiny is in your hands. Do not let him slip through your fingers."

"Do not let _him_ slip through your fingers." I repeated. I knew what she meant. I knew what I must do.

Gathering up my gown so I could move more swiftly, I started down towards the ground. Legolas was down there and I wasn't going to let him slip away.

**********

When I reached the ground, there was no doubt left in my mind. Emeriel called to me and Calíme waved as I passed them by, but I knew that if I stopped I might have lost all courage. And even though I was human and intriguing, most of the Elves didn't notice me much on an everyday basis, so I got no questions as I wandered down to the camp of the group who had come to be known as "the Fellowship."

As I neared their camp, my heart prodded me to go on. None of the other members of the group noticed me, for they were each involved in their own activities and I hid from them as I searched for Legolas.

I finally spotted him walking alone, marveling at our tree city. He had on a silver night tunic that shone in the dark and his long elven hair looked white in the early moonlight. I walked softly up behind me. My throat dried and I could barely breathe. "My Prince," I said.

He turned, somewhat startled. "Yes?" At that moment our eyes locked and I could see recognition in his eyes. "I know you," he said. "You saw us arrive, from up in that tree."

I blushed, embarrassed at my curiosity. But he only smiled.

"Do not be embarrassed. You surprised me with your boldness, but I was pleased to see you here. You have been in my dreams. Dreams that I have had every night since leaving Rivendell."

"You have also been in my mind," I said as I finally found my voice.

He offered his hand to me. "There is something powerful here. I can feel it. Walk with me young human, so that we may talk and learn what fate has written for us."

**********

I walked beside Legolas, unsure of what to say. But before I could say anything, he turned to me.

"You seem to know who I am." I barely nodded. "I am Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood."

"Yes. The Lady spoke of you this morning. We celebrated a betrothal of one of our maidens to a warrior of Mirkwood."

He smiled and my knees when weak. "I see. What is your name, Lady?"

"Raélowen," I said shyly.

"Raélowen," he repeated and gazed deeply into my eyes. "Yallume! *" he said softly. "I have found you! You who has haunted my dreams! I have found you."

"And I have found you!" I said as I found my voice again.

"Were you looking for me?" he asked with a teasing glint in his eye.

I blushed deeply, almost afraid to tell him my story. "I…I have seen you before." Seeing his look of confusion, I went on. "I did not know it was you, but I saw you…in the Mirror."

"Galadriel's Mirror?" I nodded again. "Then there truly is something powerful here."

"Yes. I believe there is."

Legolas glanced up at the deepening night, then back at me. "Let us talk, then. After all, we cannot deny each other any more than we can deny destiny."

My heart fluttered as he smiled and took my hand, leading me towards the edge of Lórien and the forest beyond.

* yallume = at last (Quenya)


	11. Star Lit Musings

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ Again, I'm sorry it took me so long to update this! But I'm **so** glad that ff.net is back *knock on wood* and that I can post again! Enjoy :)

****

~DISCLAIMER~ I will say this a thousand times (and probably will have to) – I DON'T own Tolkien's characters. I do own MY characters – by now you should know who those are.

We walked together along the river, bathed in white moonlight and Lórien a swirl of silver and gold behind us. The night was still early and the sky was calm and clear above.

I was no longer nervous in his presence and we talked as though we had known each other forever. Along the riverbank we sat on the soft mossy ground, gazing at the stars.

"Have you lived in Lórien your whole life?" Legolas asked me suddenly.

"Yes, except when I was only an infant. My family and village were destroyed by goblins shortly after I was born. They took all the children and by the time there were stopped by Haldir and his guards, I was the only child left."

"You were chosen," he remarked. I only smiled. He continued, "And how long ago was that?"

"About 20 years ago. Do you know how old you are?"

He just laughed. "Oh, much older than that! Um," he paused to think. "I think I am just shy of 3,000 years old."

"…Oh," was all I could think of to say.

He laughed again. "If you take into consideration the difference in the races, I am not really that much older than you." His smiled made my head spin and I just nodded my agreement. "There are very few humans in all of history to be raised by Elves," he commented, again turning serious.

"I was lucky," I replied.

"Not lucky, Raélowen," he said, cupping my chin in his hand. "There are very few 'lucky' ones. You are special. You were chosen to be raised here in Lórien."

His words were so sweet and his eyes gazed deeply into mine. I knew that my lips were not far from his. All it would take was enough courage to bring my lips to his: courage that I did not have.

He turned his eyes back to the stars, almost embarrassed. I silently chided myself for being such a coward.

"The stars truly are beautiful," I remarked after a moment of silence. Legolas smiled and nodded his agreement. "When I was a child," I continued, "I would climb to the highest branches of Lórien and sing to the stars, hoping they would sing back." I smiled softly at the memory.

Legolas grinned as well. "And did they?"

"No…but still when I sing, I usually sing towards the sky and the stars."

"Would you…" Legolas's voice trailed off.

"Would I what?"

"Would you…sing something for me?" He seemed shy about asking.

"Of course!" It was a simple request, but the way I was feeling, I would have crossed the Misty Mountains blindfolded if he asked me to. "What shall I sing?"

"On anything, my love!" He said it casually, but his choice to say "my love" was not lost on me.

I had most recently sung the Elvish lament, so I sung the first two lines for him. "Mithrandir,

A Randir Vithren

ú-reniathach i amar galen."

"Gandalf's lament," he whispered.

"Yes."

"That was you who sang that?" He sounded in awe.

"Yes. You heard me?"

"Yes. We all did. Merry – uh, Meriadoc, one of the hobbits I am traveling with – asked what you were singing. But your voice filled me with such emotion that I could not tell him."

"I'm sorry."

Again his eyes met mine. "Do not be sorry! You have a beautiful voice, Raélowen."

I just blushed. "Thank you."

We sat in silence again. "So," I asked, breaking our brief silent moment. "Why are you, Legolas Prince of the Wood Elves of Mirkwood, traveling with humans and hobbits? Or especially a dwarf?"

"Now that is a very long story. And one that I fear I cannot share with you."

"Oh," I said, a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"You need not be sorry!" His smile still made me feel weak. "We are the Fellowship of the Nine Walkers – each race of Middle earth is represented."

"You represent the Elves?"

He nodded. "My skills as an archer also serve to help protect the Fellowship. Aragorn the Ranger and Boromir of Gondor represent humans, Gimli of the Lonely Mountain represents dwarfs, and four young hobbits of the Shire in Eriador represent, well, hobbits."

"And Gandalf for Wizards?" I asked softly.

He replied sadly, "For the Maia, yes."

I put a hand on his arm. "I am sorry for you loss."

"Do not worry. Your lament made me realized how much he was loved by our people and that he is gone and yet not."

I just nodded, saddened by his use of "our people," for it only reminded me that I was not of "his" people. But then I thought of his obvious caring for the other members of the Fellowship, no matter what their race. It was a comforting thought, as was the ever-present fact that the Mirror had shown me Legolas as my destiny.

"Did you know what you were singing? I mean, you do speak Elvish?" Legolas asked.

"Yes, I do. I understand Quenya more than Sindarin, though."

"Really?" Legolas sounded impressed. "Most Elves do not speak Quenya very well."

"I have studied Quenya for many years," I explained shyly. "I can understand most of the language, though I wouldn't say I'm fluent."

"That must have been incredibly difficult!" He still sounded impressed. "Without the Elves' racial memory, learning to speak and understand Quenya is a very difficult task."

I blushed, happy for his praise and also proud of my accomplishment, though it did not seem that big of a deal to me.

"Raélowen," he said, pondering. "What does your name mean?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure it means anything. As a human, I am, as you say, chosen to have an Elvish name in the first place."

"Well, whatever it means, it's beautiful."

All I could think of to do was to thank him again. His talk to my Elvish name made me think of Shamiel's refusal to call me by it and my curiosity over whether anything had happened with her and Legolas got the better of me.

"So…" I began, unsure of how to approach it. "Have you spoken with many of the people of Lórien?"

Legolas grimaced. "Only one other than you and the Lord and Lady. A she-elf called Shamiel. Do you know her?" I made a face, to which he just laughed. "Yeah, you must know her!" he said, laughing harder.

I sighed, giggling. "It's not that she's really horrible or anything, it's just…she's difficult to get along with."

"She seemed awfully stuck on herself," Legolas remarked. "Plus, I'm not sure but I think she was trying to seduce me!" We both laughed and I nodded.

"Yes, she was. I heard her and another she-elf talking. She mentioned how she was going to seduce you."

"Well, it didn't work!" he said with a grin.

I sighed, half jokingly and half serious and said, "If she wasn't around, my life would be a lot easier."

"How?"

It seemed not right that I burden him with my complaints against Shamiel, but I soon found myself telling him everything. He just listened sympathetically.

"I do not understand how she can be so cruel to you, Rae."

"I am human," I said with a shrug and a sudden smile.

Legolas started to smile, too. "What?"

"Rae. It's my nickname, but only Emeriel and Calíme have ever called me by it."

He just took my hand and kissed it. "Well, milady, do I have your permission to use it as well?"

Giggling, I could barely say yes.

"Then come my Lady Rae!" He stood up and pulled me with him. Not letting go of my hand, he said, "Let us go back to Lórien, for it has been long since I have visited your fair city, and would love to have a, shall we say, private tour?"

"After you, my Prince!" I said extending my free hand. He grinned and we headed back towards the great tree city.


	12. A Night So Powerful

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~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ I've come to the conclusion that this story is _slightly_ AU. In this, the Fellowship only spends ONE night in Lórien, not the months they do in the book. So keep that in mind. Oh, and

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WARNING

This chapter is rated R for sexual content. This and the next are the only two in the story, which is why the actual rating is only PG-13. But you have been warned! I don't think it's _quite_ NC-17, but it's not PG-13 either.

****

~DISCLAIMER~ How many times do I have to write this? I don't own anything except my characters. That would be Rae, Emeriel, Calíme, Colindor, and those two smaller ones from the feast chapter. Please don't use them in other stories without my permission!

We stood together on the ground, gazing up towards the stars shining high above us. Legolas glanced at me strangely. His eyes seemed almost shy. "It has been a long time," he said slowly, "since I have seen the Lórien tree-dwellings."

"I could show you," I said, feeling strange myself. It made little sense to me why he wanted to see our houses, but that hardly registered. Together, we climbed towards where I lived. He took my hand, helping me up stairs built for Elves. I had been running up and down them my entire life but, oddly enough, felt weak while with him.

Due to my human lineage, my dwelling was relatively close to the ground, signifying my status in Elvish society. We reached it quickly.

As Legolas idly gazed around the main room, I escaped onto my balcony. Being in his presence had suddenly become intoxicating and frightening and exciting all at once. I was not accustomed to feeling this way and welcomed the slight breeze blowing across my balcony.

"The night is cool," he said from behind me. I was startled, but not surprised that I hadn't heard him come up behind me.

I only nodded. He gently pulled my hair from my shoulder, allowing his hand to stray at my neck. His fingertips brushed my cheek, leaving a trail of fire at his touch. 

I turned to face him and met his strong embrace. He brought his lips down to mine, kissing me with such passion that my body went weak at his touch. Lórien and everything around me melted away as we stood bathed in starlight.

After a moment, I turned away, embarrassed by my forwardness. But Legolas pulled me back to him.

"Do not worry, selde. Nothing is wrong." His blue eyes shone in the darkness, drawing me to him again.

I did not resist as we moved off the balcony inside the main chamber of my house. Though my reason told me that everything was too fast, my heart screamed not to stop. The few weak reservations I did have melted as he led me down onto the bed.

Without thinking, I began to unbutton the buttons down the front of his tunic while still kissing him. Likewise, he deftly unfastened the back of my dress. His hands were cool on my skin ass the dress fell around my waist.

Sliding my hands inside his open tunic, I pulled him down with me as I lay back on the bed. His hands continued exploring my body as he shrugged the tunic completely off.

No one had ever touched me the way he was. He made me feel certain that I wanted more. Without thinking, I slid completely out of my dress, letting it slip to the floor.

Legolas gazed into my eyes as I lay naked and totally exposed to him. A tender smile played on his lips as he quickly took off the leggings that had been on under his tunic and lay naked beside me.

It was the first time I had been with a man, human or Elven. Just lying naked with him excited me and I could see that it did him as well. He continued kissing me as his hands lid further and further down my body. Waves of fire coursed through me as his strong archer's hands slipped into me. A low moan escaped my lips as the fire grew stronger with his every movement.

But I put a hand on his chest as he started moving onto me. "Not yet!" I said, smiling coyly. "Let me."

I kissed him again and began sliding _my_ hands down his perfect body.

"Rae, please!" he begged as my fingers teased him lightly, exploring him completely. I was surprised by his size, but it only excited me more and I felt I couldn't wait any longer. His arms encircled my waist and he moved himself over me.

I buried my head in his shoulder to stifle my sudden cry as his body feverishly met mine and filled me with his virility. I felt myself surrendering to his strength, allowing Legolas to possess me completely.

I couldn't contain how much I wanted him. "Noro lim!" I cried as loud as I dared. "Noro lim!" He held me closer as we became more intense: so intense that I could barely gasp his name as my skin burned hotly at his every touch.

His body was light but powerful and I lost myself into a blinding moment of ecstasy.

* selde = female child (Quenya)

* Noro lim! = Ride fast! (Sindarin)


	13. The Barest Hint of Dawn

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~** I know I've been horrible about updating, I'M SORRY!! *sniff* I'm back for at least this chapter and hopefully I'll be more steady in the future. Oh, and all of the Elvish in this chapter is Quenya. I _know_ that Elves didn't speak Quenya, but I can't find a good Sindarin dictionary, so I can't construct phrases in Sindarin. If any of you know a good Sindarin/English dictionary, let me know! Thanks :)

**~DISCLAIMER~** Nope. Still don't own Tolkien's characters. Still own mine. See? Nothing's changed.

I lay exhausted in Legolas's arms. He too seemed tired – very rare for an elf. But after everything we had done, I suppose even an elf would be tired. I was still very aware of him beside me: the warmth of his body, the smoothness of his skin, the beating of his heart. He had put to rest any doubts in my mind of the elven body being perfect.

"My love," he murmured in my ear. "My sweet melisse."

I responded by snuggling a bit closer to him and kissing him again. This seemed to renew his strength and mine as well. His physical power thrilled me as I arched my body to meet his again and again.

I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out, for the last thing I needed was an investigating neighbor. Legolas did not want visitors either and kissed me hard to keep us both quiet.

His body trembled as he reached his peak. I cried his name as I felt his release and reached my own peak. It was over then, leaving us both breathless and lying in each other's arms.

We lay together in silence for a while, loving being with each other. But the silence could not last. "I love you, meldanya," he told me. His voice carried sadness.

"Yes…but we must never tell," I replied, gazing into his eyes. He only nodded.

"You are human my love. You are mortal and human and they will not understand."

"I know."

"And the Fellowship…we are on a perilous journey – "

"And they would not look kindly on your lover interfering," I finished.

He sighed unhappily. "No. They would not understand either."

I nodded, also sighing sadly. But Legolas stroked my hair and said, "But Raélowen, do not worry, for I know in my heart that we are meant to be together. Human, elven, the opinions of others, dangers faced by the Fellowship: none of that matters. You are mine and I am yours. Nothing can ever change that."

I turned to face him. "This is all so fast…and yet, so powerful."

"It was fate that brought us together. That gave us this one night."

I glanced away from him, "Only one."

"Yes," he said with a painful look he did not attempt to hide. "The Fellowship leaves in the morning. I cannot abandon them."

"I know."

"But listen to me." Legolas gazed at me. "We both know what brought us together. We are meant for each other. And it has always been that way."

I knew he was right. "Yes. It has always been that way."

"And it always will."

I could barely contain my love for him. "Only you make me feel truly alive," I whispered. "You make me feel things I have never felt before." Legolas tenderly stroked the side of my face.

I looked over his shoulder to the east. The sky had the barest hint of the approaching dawn.

"It is nearly morning. We must sleep."

He only nodded and lay back beside me. I could feel his hand resting lightly on my stomach. Softly, I heard him murmur, "Enyala huelva, meldanya. Enyala si ullume."

I did not reply, but placed my hand over his lovingly, then lay back to sleep with a smile on my face.

* melisse = female lover (Quenya)

* meldanya = my beloved (Quenya)

* Enyala huelva, meldanya. Enyala si ullume. = Remember our night, my beloved. Remember this forever. (Quenya)


	14. A Parting and a Meeting

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~** Another new chapter! I'm happy to say that now this story is completely written down and now it's only a matter of typing it up and formatting and posting. Hope you enjoy!

**~DISCLAIMER~** If I'm not mistaken, I've not been given anything resembling rights or ownership of Tolkien's characters…so I guess I don't own them!

I roused from a half sleep and lay with my eyes closed with Legolas close at my side. When I rolled over to face him, I could see more of dawn's light outside and knew I had not slept long.

To my surprise, Legolas had propped his head up on one hand and was watching me. "Do not worry meldanya," he told me gently. "Sleep."

"Won't you sleep?"

He just smiled down at me. "My sweet melisse. I do not require sleep unless I desire it. And now I desire nothing more than to look upon you."

"Oh Legolas," I said, kissing him again. "Will I see you before you leave?"

His eyes turned sad. "The Fellowship must not miss me when they wake. I must leave you before then."

I just nodded. It made sense, but that didn't make it any easier.

"But do not despair. Keeping our love a secret does not mean that you cannot come to see our departure. I will see you tomorrow."

With a loving smile, he laid a caressing hand on my cheek. "Now sleep meldanya. And know that I love you."

"Good night my love." I smiled at him. He kissed my forehead and I laid my head on his chest, falling asleep again to the sound of his beating heart.

**********

I awoke with a start. Rolling over, I was not surprised to see that Legolas as gone. If he had been missing when the Fellowship awoke, something could have been suspected, which would have been bad for us both.

I sat up and searched for an old tunic to wear down to the bathing pool. As I reached over the bed to get a brush for my hair, I felt something strange under the blanket.

When I pulled the blanket back, I gasped and my eyes immediately misted. A beautiful elven arrow lay on the side of the bed where Legolas had been that night.

I picked it up to look at it more closely. The feathers on the end were of a rare bird found only in Mirkwood and the shaft was etched with intricately carved vines. It was the most beautiful thing I could ever imagine owning and I hugged it close to my bare chest as the tears streamed down my face.

I knew it was his gift to me. Something to remember him by after he had left. "Oh Legolas," I whispered to the arrow and the empty room. "You must know that I could never forget you. Or us."

Only for a moment did I stay sitting there, blanket pulled around me and the arrow in my hands. But the sun was rising in the sky and I knew they would leave soon. Getting out of bed and pulling on the gown from the previous night, I laid the arrow in a small hiding place I had in one of the corners of the room and left to bathe for the day.

**********

The air in the bathing house was growing oppressive. I could not tell how long I had been there, nor did I particularly care. My logic was that the longer I spent in the water, the more I could delay having to see Legolas leave.

Although I dreaded the thought of his leaving, the one rational part of my brain told me that I would regret it if I missed his departure. It also reminded me that the Fellowship would leave whether I got out of the bath or not.

After a few more minutes of depression over the idea of going on with the day, I finally got out of the water, dried off, and dressed. I had only the gown from the last night with me, for I planned to change before the parting ceremony, which was to take place at noon.

I knew it would only cause me pain, but as I left the bathing house, I headed in the direction of the Fellowship's camp. My heart grew heavier as I could see them packing for their journey.

They weren't paying much attention to me, even though one of the humans greeted me. Legolas made no motion of seeing me. I was glad to see that the rest of the Fellowship seemed completely unaware of anything that had happened.

I was about to turn back toward my home when I felt a tap on my leg. Looking down, I saw one of the hobbits looking up at me. "Excuse me, Lady, but do you know where I can get something to eat before we leave?"

I had to smile, as he was an adorable young hobbit. "I believe, young sir, that there should be something to eat towards the center of Lórien," I said pointing, "that way."

"Thanks!" He walked a few feet and stopped. "Uh…would you show me where?" he asked.

"Sure." I took his hand, leading him towards the food he was looking for. "You are a hobbit, are you not?" He nodded. "What is your name, young hobbit?"

"Pippin. My real name is Peregrin, but no one ever calls me that!"

"Hello Pippin. My name is Raélowen, but you can call me Rae," I said smiling.

Pippin stopped and looked up into my face. "You have an Elvish name Rae…but you are not an elf, are you?"

"No Pippin. I'm not," I answered with a small sad smile.

"You are human," he told me matter-of-factly.

I was surprised at his observation. "Yes."

He started walking again. "So you're a human who lives with Elves."

"Yes, that is the case."

"That must be nice."

'If you only knew,' I thought. "It is…interesting."

"You don't sound as though you like it. Why not? Strider lived with Elves when he was younger. He seems like he misses it a lot."

"Strider? I am not familiar with him." I was always interested in other humans living with Elves.

"He's a Ranger. His real name's Aragorn. He's a King or something. But Lord Elrond in Rivendell raised him I guess. And he liked it. So why don't you?"

I took a moment before replying. "It is only unpleasant when welcome guests have to leave."

"Like us!" He grinned. "Other than that, it must be fun." I agreed lightly with him, marveling at his innocent perception of my life.

After I got him something to eat, he turned back towards his camp, claiming he could find his way back. But he turned and called, "Good-bye Rae!"

"Good-bye Pippin! Good luck on your journey!"

"I'll miss you, Rae!" He grinned and was gone. I glanced after him, then headed for my home.

I was grateful to have met Pippin, for he had lightened my mood considerably. Trying to ignore that persistent logical part of my brain, I headed for home to change for the departure of the Fellowship.

* meldanya = my beloved (Quenya)

* melisse = female lover (Quenya)


	15. Namaarie

**~DISCLAIMER~** I _do_ own two copies of _The Fellowship of the Ring_ on DVD (theatrical release AND special extended edition), and I own a replica of the One Ring on a keychain. Beyond that, I own NONE of Tolkien's characters. I do own my own characters…you should know who they are by now! ;)

A cool breeze swept off the river through Lórien. I had on a long, white ceremonial gown that billowed in the gentle wind. It was a dress that I saved for special occasions, and when I saw the three boats Celeborn had provided for the Fellowship, the tug at my heart told me that this _was_ one such occasion.

The Fellowship had not yet arrived, but several Elves of the village had already gathered on the riverbank. Emeriel was there; I think she was worried about me, with my quiet demeanor and red eyes. I had been avoiding her and Calíme all morning. Calíme was standing with Shamiel, who was putting on quite a melodramatic scene about her lost chance an elf prince. Cali, meanwhile, looked quite bored.

Overall, there was a sense of sadness to see the Fellowship go. But when they left, life in Lórien would go on as usual, for the Elves anyway. I guess longing is a human trait also, for I knew I would mourn losing Legolas until the day I died.

That thought also pained me, for there would be no reunion with him even then. If I had fallen in love with a mortal, we would at last be together after death if nothing else. But Legolas was an elf. As the time of the Elves drew to a close, one by one their time in Middle Earth would be over. It is in legend that Elves go on to the Undying Lands or Valinor, a land beyond the sea after leaving Middle Earth. Even the spirits of Elves who are slain are released eventually to live in Valinor. And Legolas would pass to Valinor eventually, whether he chose to or not.

As far as I know, humans do not go to the Undying Lands. The resting place for humans after death is somewhere far from there. We will then be separated for eternity.

A cheer erupted in the crowd as the Fellowship came to the shore. They were each adorned with dark green capes given by Celeborn. Each cape was clasped at that throat with a small leaf made of green and gold, a symbol of the forest of Lothlorien. I saw the man Aragorn, who Legolas and Pippin had told me about. I had heard talk around Lórien of Aragorn being in love with the Lady Arwen, Galadriel's granddaughter.

Legolas searched the crowd, looking for me. Our eyes locked once again and I could see that leaving pained him as much as it did me. I did not know what journey he was on, but could sense that they were all afraid. More than anything, I wish I could protect and keep him with me, but I knew I could not keep him from his journey.

The Fellowship stood in a line before the Lord and Lady. Beginning with Legolas, each was given a gift unique to Lórien from the Lady. To Legolas, Galadriel gave a bow of the Galadhrim. He examined it in awe, marveling at its craftsmanship and design.

Only two other gifts were extraordinary. Gimli the dwarf, so obviously enamored with Galadriel, asked for nothing but a gold strand of hair. I believe the Lady was truly flattered, for he laughed and, calling for a small blade, presented Gimli with three hairs from her head.

The other unusual gift was given to a hobbit. Galadriel called him Frodo Baggins. Something about him was strange. I could tell there was darkness around him. I also knew that if the darkness was strong enough for a human to sense, it was very powerful.

Perhaps that is why Galadriel gifted Frodo with the Light of Earendil. Though it only looked like a crystal vial of pearly liquid, all Elves of the Galadhrim know of the power of starlight. To be given the light of such a beloved star as Earendil was a very high honor.

When the gift giving ceremony was over, Aragorn, the other human, and Legolas each took control of a boat. The remaining five divided up so that two hobbits accompanied each human and the dwarf traveled with Legolas. I saw Pippin in the boat with the man whose name I didn't know. I remembered him greeting me that morning. Pippin waved back weakly, looking a little sick, as if he had eaten something bad or simply far too much. But he managed a small smile.

Finally the boats were loaded and pushed into the water. Tears gathered in my eyes once again, but I held them back as best I could. I turned away so Legolas would not see my tears.

"Namaarië Legolas of Mirkwood," I whispered. 'My lover,' I added silently.

"Farewell Raélowen of Lórien," his voice said in my head. I spun around, surprised. Only the most powerful of Elves were telepathic. "Do not despair, my love. For I swear by Earendil that we shall meet again," he said.

His fair elven face was strained in intense concentration and I knew it must have been taking tremendous effort for him to ay that final farewell. The look passed and our eyes locked one final time. I did not wave, for that would have been much too obvious, but my eyes said it all.

"Until we meet again," I whispered.

He smiled and continued rowing down the river, carrying him into journeys and dangers unknown, but to a place I believed he'd return from one day.

Soon, the tree boats disappeared completely into the horizon.

* namaarië = farewell (Quenya)

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~** Okay, so I have no idea if any Elves besides Galadriel are telepathic, but I'm taking creative license with this one! I'm also not entirely sure that Legolas would swear by Earendil, but again, creative license. This story is almost finished! Wow…I think it will be about 20 chapters when it's all done. Can't believe it's almost all posted!


	16. Rebirth

**~DISCLAIMER~** I don't own Tolkien's characters (you chould know who those are by now) and I'm probably not the first to write this idea either!

I sat along the river for hours after they had left. The boats were long gone on the horizon, but I couldn't turn away.

I couldn't help feeling that if I left or looked away from the last place I saw him, I would really lose him forever. I guess it's silly to think that I'd truly ever see Legolas again, but I've always been told (by Shamiel mostly) that humans are known for being naïve. I guess I'm not different.

"Child, they are gone."

I turned to see Lady Galadriel behind me. Tears gathered in my eyes as I turned silently back to the river.

"Do not despair. You are now ready to fulfill your destiny."

"But my Lady…I thought Legolas was my destiny?" I knew that she knew what had happened. The Lady knew all and it was useless to try to keep anything from her.

But all she did as extend her hand. "Follow me."

I stood up and followed her. To my surprise, she led me down to the Mirror.

"Child, you must look in the Mirror once more."

I nodded, unsure of whether I should feel afraid or just uncertain. I stepped up and gazed sadly into the water.

At first I didn't see anything but my own tear-stricken face. Slowly though, the water began rippling and an image formed.

I could see Legolas in the water. It was the same vision that I had seen all those years ago. I couldn't look away as tears flowed freely and fell in to the bowl, mixing with the water.

"Lady, I don't understand."

But Galadriel only lifted my chin. "Child, close your eyes."

I did as I was told. After a moment, I felt water being poured over my head and heard Galadriel speaking softly in an ancient form of Elvish that I did not understand. The water slowed and I opened my eyes. Lady Galadriel was watching me expectantly.

My senses suddenly went numb, as if everything had exploded. I couldn't see, hear, talk, feel, or acknowledge anything around me. My body felt like it was falling away and being pulled in all directions, leaving my consciousness floating alone.

Before I could register anything, I found myself lying on the ground by the Mirror. I looked up at Galadriel and saw a strange look of pride in her eyes.

It was then that my head was filled with noise. I could hear everything going on around me and the noise was deafening. I covered my ears to try to screen out the noise and gasped.

My ears were pointed.

**********

I was in complete shock. "What…? I…?" I leapt to my feet with a speed and lightness I had never known. The water in the Mirror reflected my image.

I looked the same. My hair was still dark and long and braided, as most Elves wore their hair. My face was the same and for a moment I thought I was going crazy.

But as I looked closer, I noticed that my deep brown eyes looked much lighter. They had become the same color blue as the sky as dusk. And I could scarcely breathe as I pushed back my hair and gazed dumbfoundedly at my pointed elven ears.

I stepped back from the Mirror and gazed up at the trees around me. With my new eyesight, I could see the bark of the topmost branches. And I was already learning to screen out the unwanted noise.

My body felt light and I felt as though my feet barely touched the ground. I felt strong and new. It was like a whole new world.

I finally turned back to Galadriel. She just smiled at me. "Mae govannen, Raélowen o Lórien."

* Mae govannen, Raélowen o Lórien = Welcome, Raélowen of Lórien (Sindarin)

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~** Ok, BEFORE anyone flames me or starts yelling, "MARY SUE ALERT!" let me say that I **know** that this could probably never happen in Middle Earth. And just because Rae is an elf now DEFINITELY doesn't mean that her life is going to be all flowers and singing birdies. Trust me, there is hardship and confusion to come in future installments. But thank you for getting this far and not closing the browser as soon as you saw "My ears were pointed." I love my readers!


	17. Secrets Unlocked

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~** Yes, I have returned. Again, I'm trying to actively be updating all of my stories, but I'm very involved in writing both _Red and White_, which is partially posted here on ff.net as well as the sequel to this story, tentatively titled _Born But to Live_. Thoughts on the title are appreciated! There is only one chapter after this, so we're almost there!

**~DISCLAIMER~** Characters I don't own: Galadriel, Celeborn, Legolas as well as other briefly mentioned (Haldir, Aragorn, Pippin, etc.) Characters I **do** own: Raélowen, Emeriel, Calíme, Shamiel, Colindor and two others briefly mentioned

My mind was still reeling and my shock had lessened only minimally. Galadriel had left the Mirror, bidding me to follow her and she would answer my questions. And I had so many questions that I could barely form a thought.

She led me up to the talan from which I had sung the Lament only the day before. There she stood, watching me expectantly.

I walked over to the edge, gazing down on Lórien. The Elves moved about their lives while I stood far above them, marveling at my new heightened senses that let me see them clearly from the top of the mallorn-tree.

"It is amazing," I breathed. "But impossible! Lady Galadriel, how can this be? Is it real?"

"Yes Raélowen. It is real. You are of the Elven people now."

I was still confused. "But _how_ is this possible? I thought no one could transcend racial lines. I do not understand ho I can behold the Elvish power."

The Lady just laughed. "Child, the power of the Elves was already within you. He has given it to you, though I need not explain how."  I blushed deeply as I suddenly understood what she meant.

Legolas. During the night we pent together, he had passed the life force of the Elves to me. It was not hard to guess how.

"Raélowen, do not be ashamed. It was meant to be."

I just smiled. "But that could not be all of it. If it was, wouldn't I have been Elven by morning?"

She smiled again. "You are a smart young elf." That was strange to hear. "Combined with the Elven life-force within you was my own power, reinforced by Nenya." The Lady turned. "Follow me. There is much we must discuss."

I obediently followed her from the high talan down into the Royal Chamber, where Celeborn was waiting for us. Galadriel took her place beside him and gestured for me to sit before them, which I did.

"Welcome, Raélowen Mirimë." Celeborn addressed me.

The name caught me off guard. "Mirimë?"

"It is to be your second given name," the Lord explained. "It comes from the Quenya word mirima, meaning free. The name itself means 'free one,' as you are now free as an elf." I smiled as he said that, for I did feel free.

"Thank you, Lord," I said graciously.

He nodded to me. "Raélowen, you are now an elf. You will never age and you will never die." I nodded in understanding. Celeborn continued, "The world may seem new and different to you, but trust that it is the same world you have always known."

"My Lord?" I asked. He motioned me to continue. "My Lord, as a human, I was twenty years old. I know that is mature for the race of Men, but twenty is barely out of infancy for an elf…"

"Do not worry, my dear," the Lady interrupted. "You are at the same life stage as you were as human."

"Yes." Lord Celeborn continued as such. "And you now possess the traits of an elf."

"But I must warn you, child," the Lady said softly. "You will live long in Middle Earth. And you will see things that will touch your soul and break your heart. But you must remember that there is good in the world. And evil will never triumph."

"Like Sauron being defeated," I murmured, remembering the history I had been taught.

Celeborn and Galadriel exchanged a look before addressing me again.

"Raélowen," Celeborn said. "There will come a time when you, like all Elves, will have to leave Middle Earth. You will sail from Middle Earth across the sea to reside forever in Valinor, or the Undying Lands."

I nodded. It was common knowledge of life beyond Middle Earth.

Galadriel smiled at me. "Welcome to us, Raélowen Mirimë!"

I grinned, then remembered something that had been bothering me. "My Lady, forgive me, but what of the questions others will have? The Elves of Lórien all know I was human. And, well, Legolas and I promised to keep our love a secret."

"Child, do not worry about others. While Elves are curious, they truly question little. As for your secret, it is safe within this chamber, but I believe circumstances have changed now, have they not?"

Her words dawned on me. She was right! Legolas and I had sworn our love to silence because I had been human!

I bowed to the Lord and Lady and moved to leave when I was granted. As I neared the entryway, the Lady put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. "Enyala wanwië, child. Enyala atani."

Her words were not lost on me. I knew that I could never forget my life as a human or any of my past. I bowed my head again, leaving the Royal Chamber. Everything in Lórien was the same and yet different. But I knew that I wanted to tell someone of my greatest fortune.

I knew that Emeriel was at Calíme's house so as to hear her ballad about the Fellowship. I headed toward where Calíme lived, preparing to give the two she-elves the shock of their immortal lives!

* Enyala wanwië = remember your past (Quenya)

* Enyala atani = remember men (Quenya)


	18. Immortal Night

**~DISCLAIMER~** By now, you SHOULD all know which characters I own…if you don't, go back and check ANY of my disclaimers in the past chapters. But I don't own Tolkien's characters and never will.

Emeriel and Calíme just stared at me, too shocked to speak. I just stood before them, my hair tucked back revealing my ears. After seeing my friends' reactions, I could hardly wait to see Shamiel's!

"I – how? Is this even possible?" Calíme finally asked when she regained herself.

I blushed at the thought of explaining, but knew that they would want the whole story. I just smiled though and said, "Yes, but it is a very long story. Are you sure you want to know?"

"YES!" Emeriel and Calíme said together.

"Well…ok. But it is not a story to be spread around! No one must know, understood?" They both nodded. "Ok. But the story gets a little confusing. I – "

"Oh, wait!" Calíme asked. "First, will you keep the name Raélowen?"

"Yes, but the Lady has given me Mirimë for my second name. But I do not understand, why do I receive a second name now?"

"Elves receive their second name when they have come of age," Calíme explained. "That way the name can say something about you."

"Well, Mirimë means 'free one,' so that makes sense," I said smiling.

"It's pretty!" Emeriel said.

"What are yours?" I asked them.

"Mine is Sérewen…meaning peacemaker," Calíme said.

"And mine is Niere. It means honeybee," Emeriel added. She giggled in spite of herself. "Apparently I reminded the Lady of a bee when I was young. You know, always busy?"

I laughed with her, for I could picture that. "And…um, what is Shamiel's?"

Calíme and Emeriel exchanged a look. "Nasse," Calíme said.

I burst into laughter. "Thorn??"

Cali was laughing, too. "Apparently Shamiel loved to tease Celebrian, the Lady's daughter, while she was young. Galadriel could not make Shamiel stop, so she gave her a harsh second name to try to teach her a lesson. It didn't work, but now she has an embarrassing second name anyway!" Calíme, Emeriel, and I all laughed.

"Now tell us the story!" Emeriel said after a moment.

"Okay. It started a long time ago. Well, long in human terms. Five years ago, Lady Galadriel summoned me to her Mirror. It was late at night and no one knew except her, my mother, and I. The Mirror was to show me my destiny that night.

"I was surprised, to say the least, when I saw an Elven man appear in the water. I mean, how could an elf be a human's destiny? But Galadriel said he was and I believed her.

"I never really dwelt on the idea of my destiny after that, though I never forgot his face. And yesterday, everything changed.

"You remember how I ran for the Royal Chamber when the Fellowship was brought up?" Emeriel nodded. "Well, I could not explain it, but I knew that I had to see them. It took the whole time of the meeting but I finally learned why I felt so connected to the group. It was him."

"Legolas…" Emeriel whispered in awe.

I nodded with a sad smile. "Yes. Legolas was the one in the Mirror."

Calíme and Emeriel were lost in amazement. "I can't believe it…" Calíme softly said. "Your destiny turns out to be the Elven Prince of Mirkwood!"

"There's more. The Lady asked me to sing Gandalf's lament, but also told me to take control of my destiny. I did as she told me.

"Legolas and I already knew we were spiritually connected and that something powerful had brought us together, but that…that was not my complete destiny." I couldn't help but blush once again at the memory of the previous night.

Calíme understood. I could tell when her jaw dropped to her knees. "You…you – last night? Legolas…the Prince? And you? And that's how…?"

There was nothing to do but come out and say it. "Yes Cali. Last night, Legolas and I…"

Emeriel then caught on. "You slept with the Prince?!" I blushed deeply and nodded. Emeriel looked even more shocked than before.

"And that's how this happened?" Calíme asked.

"Partially. The Lady told me that her own power combined with the power of Nenya were what made me Elven, but without the Essence of the Elves already inside me, it would have been impossible."

"But," Emeriel started to ask, "how was the Essence of the Elves inside…oh wait, never mind." She finished with an embarrassed look.

"It's ok," I replied with a laugh. "But why me?" I asked, suddenly turning serious once more. "Has this ever happened before? Has any other member of another race been made Elven? What makes me so special?"

"I know," Calíme began, "of only one other case like this: Elrond Halfelven, Lord of Rivendell."

"Elrond? Are you serious?" Emeriel asked. Calíme was more knowledgeable in Elven lore than Emeriel due to her research as minstrel.

Cali nodded. "He was born to an elf and a human and was given a choice between the races. He chose to behold the Power of the Elves, while his brother chose the race of Men. But there is still the human essence within him, hence his name Halfelven.

I just nodded at the story, lost in my thoughts. I felt so happy that I suddenly laughed and said, "This is all so weird! I can't believe I truly am an elf! I still don't look like one…nothing has changed, except my ears and the color of my eyes. My hair is still dark and that is a human trait."

"That's not true," Emeriel broke in. "I may not have visited Rivendell for a few years…well, okay, a few _hundred_, but I am sure Lord Elrond was dark haired. As was Arwen Evenstar, his daughter."

"Arwen?" Calíme asked. "Is she not the daughter of Celebrian, daughter of Galadriel?"

"And is she not the love of Aragorn? He was with the Fellowship as well. And he is human," I added.

Emeriel nodded and turned to me. "It is true that many or even most Elves are blond haired, but they can be dark haired as well. There is nothing now to set you apart from any other elf, Raélowen. Well, except maybe your relations with a certain Elven prince!" she added with a wink. I just blushed again and grinned.

But then something dawned on me. "Wait!" I said.

Calíme and Emeriel just turned to me. "What?" Calíme asked.

"You just said that Elrond and Arwen are dark haired Elves."

"Yeah," Emeriel replied. "And Elladan and Elrohir as well. Arwen's twin brothers."

"You _just_ told me that Elrond is partly human," I accused, folding my arms. "_That's_ why he has dark hair, and his children, too. Dark hair is a human trait!" I was being stubborn, but this was all so wonderful that I almost didn't want to believe it, lest it be taken away.

"Sweet Valar Rae!" Emeriel cried, exasperatedly. "Are you going to be happy with the fact that you have, by some miracle, become what you've always dreamed of and can now be with the man you love, or are you going to worry about your **HAIR COLOR**??"

I just stared at her for a minute, then broke into a huge grin. Em and Cali grinned too and threw their arms around me.

Calíme suddenly stood up. "We should celebrate this!" I just laughed (for Elves celebrate everything) and nodded. Emeriel also stood up and the three of us went to Cali's door.

Cali took one step out of her door and stopped. I was behind her and Emeriel still back in the room.

"Hi Cali! I was just looking for you!" the girl outside said.

I recognized the voice and Calíme elbowing me made me sure. I grinned at Emeriel and mouthed, "Shamiel."

"Shamiel, wait!" Calíme said. "I have someone for you to meet." She stepped further out of her door so that Shamiel could see me.

At first she just stared blankly at me. I smugly smiled at her at her as she realized it was me, but different. "Human?" she asked dumbly, seeming to forget that I "didn't know" she called me that.

"Not anymore." I tucked my hair behind my ears for a moment so she could see what had happened to me.

Shock and hatred flared in her eyes as she realized I was actually an elf. She only stood a moment, then turned and ran away from Calíme's door. Calíme, Emeriel, and I all laughed and continued out of Cali's house.

"How should we celebrate?" Emeriel asked as we headed toward the ground. I shrugged and looked at Calíme, who shrugged as well.

"Maybe a feast tonight?" she suggested.

"Yeah!" Emeriel chimed in. "We could invite all the Elves of Lórien! Like…Haldir and the border guards." She blushed as Calíme and I exchanged a look. "Oh come on Rae!" Em continued to plead. "After all, Haldir did rescue you AND now you must understand how I feel about Colindor after last night with Legolas!"

My heart ached with how much I missed Legolas already, but I just smiled and told Emeriel, "Of course."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you Rae!"

I laughed. "You're welcome! Will you two start setting this feast up? I…I have something to do first."

They both nodded and headed off chattering excitedly. I watched them go and started off in the opposite direction.

*****

I wandered through the Fellowship's empty camp. Their presence lingered in the camp, reminding me ever more of my love.

The river glittered in the moonlight. It was visible through the majestic trees of Lórien, its tranquil gentle murmur calling me to it. I followed the path down to the river's edge where, only that moment, Legolas and I had said goodbye.

Walking to the spot where I had sat after the Fellowship left, I stood gazing out on the water. It hardly seemed possible that just that very morning, I had been human.

I thought of Legolas and our night together. I thought of the arrow he had given me, hidden away safely in my bedroom. I thought of the first time I looked into Galadriel's mirror. I thought of how I used to wish to be a true elf when I was a child. And I thought of that morning when I had said good-bye to the man I loved.

Overhead, the first stars were visible in the early evening sky. Earendil shone brightest and I remembered Legolas' last words to me.

"I swear by Earendil," I repeated aloud, "that we shall meet again."

I gently blew a kiss to the river and turned back toward Lórien – the fairest of all the dwellings of my people.

**The End**

**~AUTHOR'S NOTE~** It's done! That last line (about the fairest dwelling) is actually something that Legolas says on page 349 of The Fellowship of the Ring while talking about Lothlórien.

There will be one more chapter in this – the "theme song" for the story. I think that the lyrics fit very well and it will be posted very soon after this chapter. Even if you don't keep it, please download the song just to hear it once! I imagine it playing almost as credit music does in movies…hey, I'm a Film Major, what do you expect?

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this fic! The sequel is underway…should come soon. Namaarie!


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